436 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and left at noon. This, however, is a long way further north, 

 off the Suffolk coast. 



Another noteworthy bird, in this case obtained by the author 

 himself, is the Eedthroated Pipit, Anthus cervinus, which was 

 shot at Eainham in April, 1880. This is not the first record of 

 the specimen however, and the author would have done well to 

 have mentioned this, as also the fact that it was identified at the 

 British Museum by Mr. E. B. Sharpe (cf. ■ Zoologist,' 1884, p. 272). 



The migratory habits of the Eook are thus noticed by Mr. 

 Prentis (p. 43) : — " Throughout the summer I see but few ; when 

 I begin to sow the wheat in the autumn they come by thousands, 

 and continue doing so, off and on, throughout the winter, leaving 

 soon after the barley is sown in the spring." 



The migratory habits of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker also 

 are alluded to (p. 45). " When they do occur, which is very rarely, 

 they invariably come in the month of October ; several have 

 been obtained at that time of year, old birds, both male and 

 female." The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has been met with and 

 obtained on several occasions in the lower orchard adjoining the 

 marsh, a favourite locality both in autumn and winter. 



An unusual site for a Cirl Bunting's nest is described (p. 35) : 

 " In an old dried-up decoy pond, built on the ground amongst 

 the dead stems of the reeds " ; the writer adds, " they are some- 

 times caught by the bird-catchers in winter." 



Mr. Prentis thinks that Magpies are kept down by foxes, 

 because he " once found one which had been buried by a fox, 

 leaving the tip end of its tail in view." Probably this was a 

 wounded bird, or a tame one which had made its escape ; it 

 would take a clever Fox to catch a wild and uninjured Magpie. 



The utility of Sand Martins in an unexpected direction is 

 worth notice. The author once saw " about 300 of these birds 

 all in a line upon a field of young turnips, sitting and fluttering 

 along, devouring the fly and the turnip beetle." This, if we 

 mistake not, is an original observation. 



The Eed-legged Partridge is said to have " spread within 

 these few years all over the district," but Mr. Prentis need not 

 have added the remark that " their habit of running before the 

 dogs causes them to be of little use to the sportsman " ; for it is 

 well known that in districts where "partridge driving" is resorted 

 to, the red-legged bird is considered invaluable. 



